Cue-tip.



E. E. FOURNIER.

CUE TIP.

APPLICATION HLED OCT-15.1914.

1,1 82,1 60. Patented May 9, 1916.

A ztorn ey.

EDMOND EDWARD FOURNIER, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CUE-TIP.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Application filed October 15, 1914. Serial No. 866,755.

To all whom it mayconcern Be it known that I, EDMOND E. .FOURNIER, a subject of George V, King of England, residing at :FallRiver, county of Bristol, Gommonwealth of, Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cue-Tips, of which the following is a speci fication.

' This invention relates to cue tips and particularly to a removable tip and tip fastening. The usual tip is glued to the cue end. The objections to the glued tip are that the tip is not readily removable and thatwhere the tip is knocked off accidentally in playing, the replacing of that tip involves the removing of the dry surface of glue on the tip and one end, the preparation of a fresh surface, the clamping of the tip to the cue for a day or more to allow the glue to harden, and finally the loss of use of that particular cue during the glue setting process. To remedy this, it has been proposed to detachably fasten the tip to the one end, and it is to this class of devices that my, present invention relates. The removably. fastened one tip carries the advantage of being cap able of quick removal from the cue so that another tip may be substituted and quickly locked in place. This permits a playerto select any one from the cue rack and any tip from a collection. of tips and then detachably fasten the tip to the cue. Furthermore, if duringthe course of the game, it is desired to make a shot for which a particular kind of tip is best suited, the tip in use can be quickly removed and the particular tip necessary can be readily substituted therefor. The object of this invention is to provide positive means for removably fastening a tip to the one end. This is effected in the present invention by a one piece fastener having a positive engagement with the tip, releasable by a longitudinal separation of the parts, and having apositive locking engagement with the cue releasable by simple lateral pressure upon the sides of the fastener whereby the connected tip and fastener may be wholly removed from the cue.

This lateral pressure is conveniently effected in the present invention through the instrumentality of a spring key adapted to be passed through lateral openings in the ferrule of the one and compress the sides of the fastener at opposite points.

The construction and operation of my device will be more fully disclosed in the following specification and drawings.

Throughout specification and drawings like reference numerals are employed to indicate corresponding parts, and in these drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary View in longitudinal section of a cue equipped with a tip and tip fastener in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is an elevation of the tip and tip fastener removed from the cue, Fig. 3 is a plan View of the tip fastener detached, F ig. 4 is an elevation of the guiding and supporting device for the tip fastener, and Fig. 5 is a view of the releasing device for releasing the fastener from its engagement with the cue.

I have indicated at 1 a portion of a one having a reduced tip end 2 upon which a ferrule 3 is mounted with a driving lit. The ferrule 3 has near its inner end an internal annular shoulder 4 providing a seat for the annular shoulder 5 of a screw 6. The screw 6 guides and supports the tip fastening do vice. Below the shoulder 5 the screw terminates in a stem 7 threaded for engagement in a longitudinal bore 8 let into the reduced end 2 of the cue. The opposite outer end of the screw 6 has a screwdriver slot 9 whereby the screw may be set up in the. one with its shoulder 5 seated against the shoulder 4 of the ferrule.

Surrounding the screw 6 and removably seatingon the shoulder 5 thereof is a tip fastener for detachably connecting a tip 10 with the one. This fastener may conveniently be made in the form of a longitudinally split sleeve 11 preferably formed of some resilient material. In the form selected as an illustration and referring to Fig. 3 which shows the sleeve in top plan,

the sleeve has its outer end longitudinally split into four segments, two relatively large segments 12 and two relatively small segments 13. These segments are wholly separated from each other at the outer end of the sleeve, as shown, and constitute yielding gripping jaws for separably engaging the reduced shank 10 of the tip 10.

The segments are not wholly separated from each other at the inner end of the sleeve, but are joined to each other by the material of the sleeve. The larger segments 12, however, are split longitudinally from their inner toward their outer ends to form a pair of oppositely disposed compressible arms 14: terminating each at its lower end in an integral inclined locking lug15. The segments 12 and 13 are thickened in cross section at their upper ends to increase the effective grip upon the shank of the cue tip and are beveled downwardly and inwardly to permit the sleeve to fit snugly within the ferrule. It will be understood that in practice the ferrule 3 and the screw 6 are fitted to the cue when the cue is made. However, where it is desired to change over the old style glued-tip cue to embody my construction, the ferrule may be readily fitted upon the one and the plug 6 screwed home so as to adapt the cue to the fastener. The sleeve 11 with the tip properly gripped in place is inserted over the screw 6 which guides it in this movement until its lower end seats against the shoulder 5 of said screw. This brings the gripping jaws at the outer end of the sleeve substantially flush with the outer end of the ferrule with the head of the tip seated upon the outer end of the sleeve.

In assembling the parts, the lugs 15 of the compressible arms 14; of the sleeve are positioned adjacent a pair of lateral slots 16 in they ferrule. The arrangement is such that the inclined faces of the lugs 15 engage the edges of the slots 16 and lock the sleeve against accidental displacement. This looking engagement is overcome when it is desired to remove a tip, by inserting the inturned ends 17 of a bowed key 18 through the slot 16 and compressing the arms 14:. This disengages the lugs 15, releases the sleeve and permits the tip to be wholly removed from the ferrule, after which the tip can be easily separated from the gripping jaws by simply pulling the sleeve and tip apart. Where the key 18 is used to release the sleeve, the key is made of some resilient material. 7

In practice, I find ordinary wire bent to the proper shape well adapted for the above purpose. It should be understood however that while I have shown and described a key having certain characteristics as best suited for the release of the sleeve, I do not limit myself to that or to any form of key, but

regard as within the scope of my invention any means for compressing the arms 14:.

Various other modifications, in the form and construction of my device may obviously be resorted to within the limits of the apended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a cue, a one tip, a sleeve fitted on said cue, and a one piece compressible tip fastening member expane sively lodged in said sleeve and having positive engagement therewith releasable by pressure applied directlythereto in planes ,of' opposite directive tendency.

2. In combination, a cue, a one tip, a sleeve fitted on said cue, and a compressible one piece member positively connecting said cue and tip and expansively lodged in said sleeve, said member having positive locking engagement in said sleeve releasable by compressive force applied thereto and having a pair of separated spring clamping devices disposed for frictional engagement with said tip at opposite sides thereof.

3. In combination with a cue, a sleeve fitted thereon, a member removably engaged with said one and fitted within said sleeve, a resilient tip fastening member removably seated on said member and having a positive locking engagement with said sleeve releasable by simple lateral pressure upon said tipfastening member, and a cue tip separably engaged with said tip fastening member.

4:. In combination with a cue, a sleeve fitted thereon, a guide and seat for a tip fastening member removably engaged with said one and fitted within said sleeve, a resilient tip fastening member guided and removably seated on said member and having a spring locking engagement with said sleeve releasable by simple lateral pressure applied to opposite sides of said tip fastening member, and a one tip separably engaged with said tip fastening member.

5. A device for detachably connecting a one and cue tip consisting of a yieldable member split longitudinally to provide yieldable gripping jaws at one end for releasable frictional engagement with the cue tip and having a pair of yieldable arms at its other end disposed for releasable spring locking engagement in the cue.

6. In combination, a cue, a cue tip, a member positively connecting said elements, and a guide and seat for said member having a guiding portion, a supporting portion, and a portion having removable engagement with the cue.

7. In combination, a cue, a one tip, a member detachably connecting said elements and a guide and seat for said member having a guiding portion, a supporting portion, and a stem having threaded engagement in said cue. 8. In combination, a cue, a one tip, a

' sleeve fitted on said cue and having a pair of opposed slots therein, and a member removably lodged in said sleeve and positively connecting said cue and tip, and having a pair of oppositely disposed compressible fioples o! thll patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

arms terminating in beveled locking por- 1O tions disposed for releasable locking engagement'in said slots. 7 I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

EDMOND EDWARD FOURNIER. Witnesses:

FRANK O. BoDEAU, FOREST E. HEATH. 

